The Progastinator

I'm a fan of mash-up words. Some may hate mash-ups like "staycation," spending your vacation time at home. But I have fun making up my own. I take credit for "praycation," spending your vacation time on a mission trip or spiritual journey (http://www.explorefaith.org/prayer_meditation/prayer/prayers_for_living/prayers_for_vacation.php). I'm also quite proud of "criggle." You can use it to describe things that make you cringe and laugh at the same time... like seeing your elderly uncle parading around a hotel pool in a speedo. My newest word is inspired by a friend who admits that she finds an odd sense of adventure in pushing the gas tank to the limit. I call her the "progastinator." http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/procrastination

Let me first confess that I have run out of gas twice in my life. Yes, I have been a victim of my own progastination. My empty tank has been the result of forgetting to get gas on my way home from work and running too late to get gas on my way to work. There is no sense of adventure in my progastination. It is fueled by forgetfulness followed by fear.

I've been with the progastinator when she has run out of gas. Not fun! It was a cold day and we were dressed for strolling through a warm mall, not hiking in 30 degree weather. I shiver just thinking about it.

We took a road trip over the weekend. Do you know how hard it is to carry on a meaningful conversation when your eyes are transfixed on the gas gauge and your mind is trying to calculate how many miles you'll have to walk to the next exit? Will we make it to a gas station? If not, will we be mowed down by a semi? Picked up by a serial killer? Would my fashionable flip-flops (http://www.seventytwoshoeboutique.com/home.html) hold up under rocky roadside conditions?!?!?! This time we got gas before it was too late, but there were some scary moments! Next time, I take a trip with the progastinator I'm taking along some sneakers just in case.